About Us

Yelly de Jong is a farmer’s daughter of (as you’ve probably guessed) Dutch origin, but has lived in England for thirty years. She has a City and Guilds Diploma in Professional Cookery, as well as teaching and food hygiene certificates. Yelly is passionate about food and is not only an excellent cook, but an outstanding teacher. Until recently she was a cookery lecturer at Bolton Community College, and currently teaches City and Guilds cookery at Kirkby Stephen Grammar School as well as running Cook in Cumbria. Having raised (and fed!) three children she is familiar with the challenges of family cooking, but loves entertaining and cooking for friends. Here in Cumbria, blessed as we are with some of the finest food products the country can offer, Yelly enjoys the simplicity and wholesomeness of traditional recipes as well as the challenge of exotic world cuisines. She particularly enjoys teaching and demonstrating Chinese and Thai dishes, and is known for laughing very loudly!